Bottlenecks of AQUAPONICS … in Europe

1. Bottlenecks of AQUAPONICS … in Europe dr. RaduMuscalu, STERLET SRL, Romania

2. + = FISH FARMING (usually in RAS) HORTICULTURE (usually in greenhouses) +

3. … but, so far AQUQPONICS are used only on small scale, such as: Low budget Very low profitability Very small entrepreneurs Hobbyists or High budget Profit is not important Or comes from other activities Schools, experiments, R&D grants… Touristic attractions

4. So far, we can identify the following bottlenecks in European AQUQPONICS • Technological pull-backs: • Not enough know-how (questionable), at this moment there are no specialists in aquaponics willing to work in private sector • Beliefs that RAS water does not have the whole spectrum of micro-elements • Few vegetable varieties with high productivity in aquaponic • Market acceptance: • Never-ending debate if the products are BIO or not… • Beliefs that the products have off-flavours • Bureaucracy: • Since today in Europe many investments are done by European Structural Funds, it is hard to find a proper Operational Program that might include and accept aquaponics as bussines • Low trust from investors or banks that it might actually work …

5. … bureaucracy main problem for Aquaponic development: • So far (in Romania) attempts to start a business in this sector had hold-backs from evaluators although: • Trout production: 25 to/yr • Sterlet production: 6 to/yr • Lettuce production: 240.000 pcs/yr • Medicinal and aromatic plants • Annual estimated profit: • Trout: 25.000 € • Sterlet ( 4 t meat and 100 kg caviar): 14.000 € • Lettuce: 60.000 € • Medicinal and aromatic plants: about 5.000 € Strangely, the higher profit of the vegetables could bring down the interest of AQUAPONICS and rise the interest in HIDROPONICS, as long as neither can benefit of a BIO certificate…